Parents not to blame for fussy eaters

We've all been there, we're tying to get our toddler to eat something 'good' for them but which ever way we try it they're just not biting – literally.

Giving up always seems like a good option, especially after exhaustive efforts. And recent research has clarified that sometimes maybe you should, as it could be down to the genes our children have inherited.

The UCL team, which published the research in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, analysed nearly 2,000 sets of 16-month-old twins.

Andrea Smith, a PhD student at University College London, who led part of the research, found that genes, as well as environmental factors ,were important when they looked at what influenced the twins' attitudes to food.

'Understanding that these traits are largely innate might help to deflect this blame,' she said.

But she added that even if your kid is a fussy eater, there are ways around it. Rather than ditching broccoli/carrots/anything green from their plates immediately, give them the offending ingredient at least 15 times to help them get used to the taste.